Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-28
A JAPANESE EXECUTION.
Decapitati0n as Witnessed by an
English Writer.

AS each man stepped from the path
on to the plateau his eyes were firmly
bandaged with white paper, the only
act of mercy l saw vouchsafed that
morning. Finally they were ranged
in line, the two cripples huddled on
the ground, their poor heads as they
drooped from shoulder to shoulder be-
ing roughly buffeted to a proper angle
by the policeman in charge. This ac-
complished, amid silence SO abso-
Lutte that we could almost hear our
hearts beat, the great man on the
camp-stool rose, and unfolding large
document, read in loud voice what
we supposed to be q description
of the crimes for which the
poor fellows were to suffer
and the process of condemna-
ton and sentence. This was a very
long business, and before it had near
ly finished the native spectators were
laughing and joking upon the appear
ance of the doomed men, with that
callousness to human suffering which
so much blackens the otherwise ami
able and pleasing character of the
Japanese people. At last it was fin
ished. AS there were but five holes
for seven prisoners, two would be OBJ
liged to remain in blind agony while
their companions were being dis
patched. Five men were accordingly
thrust forward with slaves and fists Of
the police; each man was made to
SQUAT on a mound, his clothes-if filthy,
tattered rags should be called clothes
stripped from his shoulders, his hands
tied behind his back, and his
head pushed forward over the hole.
Our feelings at this awful mo-
ment can better be imagined than de-
scribed, but think we felt quite as
much pity for the two wretches left
alone to listen to what was going on
without that artificial aid to fortitude
which the sight OF . crowd sometimes
gives, as for their companions on
their death seats. Undoubtedly exc
cution by the trenchant Japanese
sword is as merciful death as can be
desired; but the Oriental nature, as if
to compensate for this erring on the
side of mercy, counterbalspces it by
an undue prolongation ofithe ,prepara-
tions for death, which is worse than
hundred deaths. So in this case.
AS the poor fellows knelt over
their holes, the executioner slowly
and deliberately took off his coat and
barred his arms. Then he took from
its silk casing the fatal sword, exam
ined fondly and lingeringly from the
Yasuri me, or filings on the hilt to
keep the grasp from slipping, along
the Kirimon, or groove in the blade,
to the point, held it over a pail while
a coolie trickled water down it, and
with great deal of settling of his
feet was ready. I felt sick and giddy,
but I Kept my eyes kept fixed
ON the scene. AT sign from the
official on the camp stool, the
executioner raised his sword slightly,
hardly half dozen inches, and al
most before 1 could realize it the mans
head was hanging over the hole by
single ligament, and the blood was
gushing forth in torrents. l then saw
why the executioner had not COM
pletely severed the head; and the
wonderful skill of the Japanese swords
men, using as they do the most per-
feet weapons in the world, can be
imagined in SO arranging the force OF
the blow that absolute decapitation
does not take place. He tore the head
off and held it toward the four sides
of the square then he gave it to a
coolie, who roughly plastered the
severed portion with clay and
struck it on kind of elevated shelf.
In the meanwhile two coolies were
humping on the back of the PROSTATE
body to hasten the rush of blood,
after which one of the coarse mats
was thrown over it and it was laid
aside. 1 had seen enough, and l
turned my head away as the execu-
toner, after wiping his blade with
paper, approached the second poor
wretch, who was shouting out some-
thing at the top Of his voice, whether
a confession or a denunciation of in
justice 1 was not scholar enough to
Observation-Disclosures Magazine.